Suspect Tries To Have His Cake, Eat It Too

July 30, 1991|By DAVID CHERNICKY Staff Writer

HAMPTON — One hand on the wheel, the other around a beer, and chocolate cake wrappers on the floorboard at his feet, a New Jersey man was pulled over on Interstate 64 and charged with stealing a Tastykake delivery truck.

Police said 44-year-old James McCombie told them he planned to take the haul of cakes to New Jersey.

``Take me to jail,'' were the first words out of James McCombie's mouth, said police spokesman Sgt. William Italiano.

They did.

The episode began at 10:50 a.m. Monday, when Tastykake deliveryman James L. Cevora noticed the truck missing from behind the Radisson hotel in downtown Hampton, Italiano said.

Cevora was delivering to the Radisson and had left his keys in the ignition, Italiano said.

Cevora flagged down a uniformed officer, who radioed a description of the truck. Officer Vince DiPentima, who was off duty in his private car, spotted the truck turning from North Armistead Avenue onto I-64, Italiano said.

Italiano said DiPentima followed the truck for about three miles until Officer Leslie Champion caught up with it in a patrol car and pulled the suspect over.

McCombie was charged with grand larceny of the Tastykake truck and driving while intoxicated.